Note: On January 1, 2021, Public Knowledge, LLC merged with the Center for System Integrity (CSI) and the Center for the Support of Families (CSF), formerly part of SLI Government Solutions (SLI), to form Public Knowledge®. This merger united three leaders in management consulting, enhancing expertise, and expanding services. CSI adds IT consulting capabilities in project oversight, quality assurance, and security assessments, while CSF brings proven strategies to improve service delivery systems for children and families. Together, Public Knowledge® focuses on Programs, People, and Systems to deliver impactful solutions nationwide.

United States – May 2, 2019 – SLI’s CSF Division is pleased to report that the State of North Carolina has elected to enter into Phase 3 of the contract to provide assessment, planning, and assistance in the reform of its social services programs.

North Carolina’s state law provides a vision for systemic change in the social services programs. The law created the Social Services Working Group (SSWG) and charged it with addressing regional supervision to better direct and support the delivery of services in the counties. Part of the law provides for “the selection of a third-party organization to develop a plan to reform the State supervision and accountability for the social services system, including child welfare, adult protective services and guardianship, public assistance, and child support enforcement.”

The Center for the Support of Families (CSF) was awarded the third-party contract on March 1, 2018, to work with North Carolina on its critical Social Services and Child Welfare reform.

CSF worked from March to August and issued the North Carolina Social Services Preliminary Reform Plan and the North Carolina Child Welfare Preliminary Reform Plan.  These plans documented the current framework for service delivery, detailed findings from the assessment of that framework, and provided preliminary recommendations for improvement.  Both reports were presented to the Joint Legislative Oversite Committee for Human Services.  Beginning in September, CSF began work on Phase 2, which further assessed and refined recommendations and monitored the implementation of reforms.  Final Reform Plans will be released in early May 2019.

These reports and the actions needed to implement the recommendations are but one part of a dynamic and complex program improvement process being undertaken by the North Carolina General Assembly, the Department of Health and Human Services, the 100 county Departments of Social Services, the SSWG, and related state and county departments serving citizens of North Carolina.  These reforms include Medicaid transformation, development, and initial implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with specific performance measures, planning for the Family First Preservation Services Act (FFPSA), and the ongoing implementation and assessment of NC FAST. (North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology is a program designed to improve the way DHHS and county departments of social services do business).

During Phase 3, CSF will focus on assessment and recommendations for reform of the Adult Protective Services and Guardianship, the implementation of an education collaborative to provide financial support for students earning BSW and MSW degrees who will then work in the DHHS Child Welfare Program, the completion of the federally required five-year strategic plan, and a Dashboard to provide both internal staff and the public information on the performance of DHHS’ social service delivery system.

About Public Knowledge®

Public Knowledge® is a national management consulting firm focused on Programs, People, and Systems. We exist to help our clients solve tough problems and thrive in complex environments. For more than 30 years, we have helped our clients achieve their goals by understanding their needs and objectives as a foundation for our problem-solving process. Our goal is to provide our clients unparalleled service and act as their catalyst for change. Learn more by visiting pubknow.com.